Bob Buckwalter’s enduring brilliance

Family, friends build his award-winning Christmas display tribute only weeks after his sudden, tragic death

By Patrick Burns

Bob Buckwalter’s passion for building extraordinary Christmas light displays originated as a child on Orange Street in Lancaster about 40 years ago.

Honing his city skills learned from “Uncle Nucki,” Bob developed his own style and added to it each holiday season since buying his Ephrata Borough home at 54 Spruce St. in 1999.

“All of the family helped out each year as Bob would direct me or the kids to find this or that certain light or decoration,” Bob’s wife, Pam, noted Wednesday before accepting the 4th Annual Jingle Bell Trolley Tour award judged the best decorated home on the 2017 tour.

Sadly, Bob was not around to enjoy the accolades.

Bob, only 46, and Ralph Watrous II, 44, a tow truck driver, died after a driver charged with DUI-vehicular homicide allegedly struck them Sept. 10 on Route 222 in West Earl Township.

Police reported a northbound vehicle driven by Anthony Caldwell, driving on a Virginia state learner’s permit, struck Bob and Ralph as they were standing outside the tow truck. The county coroner pronounced both dead at the scene.

His death hit the family hard.

Bob and Pam Buckwalter

“He was the rock of the family and we felt it only fitting to put his remains in a marble urn,” Pam said.

Pam, along with her and Bob’s two daughters, his brothers, parents and other family members wear necklaces containing some of his ashes.

Grandchildren Kiara and Kaiden know the necklaces mean “Pop-Pop is always with us and close to our hearts,” she said.

They also kiss and hug “Pop-Pop,” whose urn sits prominently in the living room. The children regularly talk to him, bring him trinkets, deal him in card and board games, and even include him in ‘Hot Wheel’ races.

“All the events the kids do include Pop-Pop,” Pam said.

Bob Buckwalter’s family extended his passion for holiday home decorating by winning the 4th Annual Jingle Bell Trolley Tour award presented to the best decorated home in Ephrata. Bob, only 46, was killed Sept. 10 when a man charged with DUI-vehicular homicide allegedly struck him on Route 222 in West Earl Township. From left to right, Tim Marquette, fiancée of Samantha Buckwalter; grandchild Kiara; Sue Burkholder, of Ephrata Alliance; grandchild Kaiden; Pam Buckwalter, holding Bob’s urn; daughter Kayla and her husband Kyle Henry. (Photo by Patrick Burns)

Bob learned in July that his home made the list on the 2017 Jingle Bell Trolley Tour, sponsored by the Ephrata Alliance. (Check out the homes on tour)

Sue Burkholder, who organizes the tour, said members scout out new properties to include on the following year’s tour.

“We had been paying attention to the Buckwalter’s home the past few years,” she said.

The family gathered Wednesday for a photo with Burkholder delivering the winning Jingle Bell Tour check of $200.

Replicating Bob’s designs presented a challenge as did his method in storing the numerous Christmas decorations that grew exponentially over the years. “It took us a week to find Baby Jesus,” joked his daughter Samantha. (Photo by Patrick Burns)

Present were Pam, daughter Samantha and her fiancée of Tim Marquette; another daughter Kayla and her husband Kyle Henry; and, of course, Kiara and Kaiden.

“We were excited for the win and that the family was able to pull together to get it done in memory of him,” Pam said Wednesday while simultaneously smiling and crying.

“Because it was something he always enjoyed as a kid and we enjoyed doing together as a couple and then later as a family.”

Pam said replicating Bob’s designs presented a challenge because “he kept his ideas all in his head and nobody knew quite what he was thinking.”

Also, the family didn’t know how Bob stored the numerous Christmas decorations that grew exponentially over the years.

“It took us a week to find Baby Jesus,” joked Samantha.

The “North Pole” design, which typically took Bob and Pam a whole weekend to setup, took a few weekends and weekdays this year. This year’s design featured snowmen, reindeer, a nativity scene, and a mechanical Santa operating a crane, which lifts and delivers gift-wrapped presents (see video).